{ "id": "epk6pq4swn", "slug": "richard-hayes-texas-politician", "title": "Richard Hayes (Texas politician)", "updated": "2026-09-29", "topic_path": [ { "id": "society", "label": "Society and history", "api_url": "https://www.edgepedia.org/api/v1/topics/society" }, { "id": "society.politics", "label": "Politics and government", "api_url": "https://www.edgepedia.org/api/v1/topics/society.politics" }, { "id": "society.politics.institutions", "label": "Government and public administration", "api_url": "https://www.edgepedia.org/api/v1/topics/society.politics.institutions" }, { "id": "society.politics.institutions.politicians_and_officeholders", "label": "Politicians and government officeholders (biographies)", "api_url": "https://www.edgepedia.org/api/v1/topics/society.politics.institutions.politicians_and_officeholders" }, { "id": "society.politics.institutions.politicians_and_officeholders.us-governors-and-state-officials", "label": "US governors and state officials", "api_url": 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"geo.us.t2021.society.politics.institutions.politicians_and_officeholders.us-governors-and-state-officials.state-legislators.southern-state-legislators.alpha-g-to-hi", "label": "Surnames G to Hi", "api_url": "https://www.edgepedia.org/api/v1/geo/geo.us.t2021.society.politics.institutions.politicians_and_officeholders.us-governors-and-state-officials.state-legislators.southern-state-legislators.alpha-g-to-hi" } ] } ], "excerpt": "Richard Hayes is an American politician and Republican member of the Texas House of Representatives from District 57 in Denton County, elected in 2022 and a founding partner of a North Texas law firm.", "snippet": "Richard Hayes is an American politician and Republican member of the Texas House of Representatives from District 57 in Denton County, elected in 2022 and a founding partner of a North Texas law firm.", "node": "society.politics.institutions.politicians_and_officeholders.us-governors-and-state-officials.state-legislators.southern-state-legislators.alpha-g-to-hi", "markdown": "# Richard Hayes (Texas politician)\n\nRichard Hayes is an American politician and a Republican member of the [Texas House of Representatives](https://www.edgepedia.org/texas-house-of-representatives) from the 57th district.[1](https://house.texas.gov/members/4165/biography) He was elected to the seat in 2022.[1](https://house.texas.gov/members/4165/biography) A lifelong Texan, he is a founding partner of the North Texas law firm Hayes, Berry, White & Vanzant, L.L.P.[1](https://house.texas.gov/members/4165/biography)\n\n| Fact | Detail |\n| --- | --- |\n| Party | Republican[1](https://house.texas.gov/members/4165/biography) |\n| Current office | Member, Texas House of Representatives, District 57[1](https://house.texas.gov/members/4165/biography) |\n| Education | B.B.A., Texas Christian University; M.B.A., Texas A&M University; J.D., St. Mary's University School of Law[1](https://house.texas.gov/members/4165/biography) |\n\n## Party affiliation\n\nHayes is a Republican.[1](https://house.texas.gov/members/4165/biography)\n\n## Early life and education\n\nHayes is a lifelong Texan and a graduate of Denton High School.[1](https://house.texas.gov/members/4165/biography) He earned a [Bachelor of Business Administration](https://www.edgepedia.org/bachelor-of-business-administration) from [Texas Christian University](https://www.edgepedia.org/texas-christian-university), a [Master of Business Administration](https://www.edgepedia.org/master-of-business-administration) from Texas A&M University, and a Juris Doctor from St. Mary's University School of Law.[1](https://house.texas.gov/members/4165/biography) Early in his legal career, he served as a briefing attorney to Chief Judge Adrian Spears of the U.S. District Court for the Western District of Texas and as an Assistant Criminal District Attorney in Bexar County.[1](https://house.texas.gov/members/4165/biography)\n\n## Career\n\nHayes was elected to the Texas House of Representatives from District 57, in Denton County, in 2022.[1](https://house.texas.gov/members/4165/biography) His official biography states that he has focused on property tax relief, limited government and reducing government bureaucracy, school choice, protecting children, and border security.[1](https://house.texas.gov/members/4165/biography)\n\nDuring the 89th Legislative Session, Hayes was appointed to the [Judiciary](https://www.edgepedia.org/judiciary) & Civil Jurisprudence Committee, the Pensions, Investments & Financial Services Committee, and the House Select Committee on Governmental Oversight. He also serves as Vice Chairman of the Subcommittee on Family & Fiduciary Relationships.[1](https://house.texas.gov/members/4165/biography) He is a member of the House Freedom Caucus, the Energy Caucus, the Technology Caucus, and the Manufacturing Caucus.[1](https://house.texas.gov/members/4165/biography)\n\nOutside the legislature, Hayes is a founding partner of Hayes, Berry, White & Vanzant, L.L.P., a North Texas law firm established in 1985.[1](https://house.texas.gov/members/4165/biography) He was elected to the Board of Directors of the Texas Conservative Coalition Research Institute, serves on the North Texas State Fair & Rodeo Association Board of Directors and the Dean's Advisory Council for St. Mary's University School of Law, and previously served on the Texas Woman's University Board of Regents.[1](https://house.texas.gov/members/4165/biography)\n\n## Electoral history\n\nIn 2022, Hayes was elected to the Texas House of Representatives from District 57.[1](https://house.texas.gov/members/4165/biography)\n\n## Issues specific to Hayes\n\nHayes's official biography describes him as \"a conservative leader and strong advocate\" for property tax relief, limited government, school choice, protecting children, and border security.[1](https://house.texas.gov/members/4165/biography) His legislative work in the 89th session, as listed on the Capitol's co-author report, included measures on election procedures, immigration-related employment verification, and health care regulation, several of which were referred to committee in February and March 2025.[2](https://capitol.texas.gov/reports/report.aspx?Code=A4165&ID=coauthor&LegSess=89R)\n\n## Positions and legislative record\n\n### Elections\n\nHayes co-authored several bills on election administration during the 89th session in 2025. These included measures relating to processes to address election irregularities and providing a civil penalty, referred to the Elections Committee in March 2025; a bill relating to the use of paper ballots and certain electronic devices in conducting an election, referred to the Elections Committee on March 7, 2025; a bill relating to the disposition of certain election records, referred to State Affairs on March 7, 2025; and a bill relating to the duty of the attorney general to prosecute certain criminal offenses, referred to the Elections Committee on March 7, 2025.[2](https://capitol.texas.gov/reports/report.aspx?Code=A4165&ID=coauthor&LegSess=89R) He also co-authored a bill requiring a person to submit proof of citizenship to register to vote, referred to State Affairs on March 6, 2025.[2](https://capitol.texas.gov/reports/report.aspx?Code=A4165&ID=coauthor&LegSess=89R)\n\n### Immigration\n\nHayes co-authored a bill relating to requiring political subdivisions of Texas to participate in the federal electronic verification of employment authorization program, or E-verify, which was referred to State Affairs on February 28, 2025.[2](https://capitol.texas.gov/reports/report.aspx?Code=A4165&ID=coauthor&LegSess=89R) He also co-authored a bill relating to the purchase of or acquisition of title to real property by certain aliens or foreign entities; on May 10, 2025, its committee report was sent to Calendars.[2](https://capitol.texas.gov/reports/report.aspx?Code=A4165&ID=coauthor&LegSess=89R)\n\n### Firearms and criminal law\n\nHayes co-authored a bill relating to prohibiting the recognition, service, and enforcement of risk protective orders and creating a criminal offense, and a bill relating to civil liability arising out of justified uses of or threats to use force or deadly force, which was referred to State Affairs on February 27, 2025.[2](https://capitol.texas.gov/reports/report.aspx?Code=A4165&ID=coauthor&LegSess=89R) He also co-authored a bill relating to the applicability of the death penalty to a capital offense committed by a person with an intellectual disability, referred to the Criminal Jurisprudence Committee on March 4, 2025.[2](https://capitol.texas.gov/reports/report.aspx?Code=A4165&ID=coauthor&LegSess=89R)\n\n### Children and family\n\nHayes co-authored a bill relating to the establishment of faith-based child-care facilities, referred to Public Education on February 27, 2025, and a bill relating to the required inclusion of a person's sex on a birth certificate and prohibiting a change of sex on the birth certificate of certain minors.[2](https://capitol.texas.gov/reports/report.aspx?Code=A4165&ID=coauthor&LegSess=89R) He also co-authored a bill relating to the unlawful production or distribution of sexually explicit media using deep fake technology, referred to Criminal Jurisprudence on February 28, 2025.[2](https://capitol.texas.gov/reports/report.aspx?Code=A4165&ID=coauthor&LegSess=89R)\n\n### Health care and public health\n\nHayes co-authored a bill relating to prohibiting a private employer from adopting or enforcing [COVID-19 vaccine](https://www.edgepedia.org/covid-19-vaccine) mandates and authorizing an administrative penalty, referred to Homeland Security, Public Safety & Veterans' Affairs on February 28, 2025, and a bill relating to the regulation of laboratory developed tests during a federally declared public health emergency, referred to State Affairs on March 6, 2025.[2](https://capitol.texas.gov/reports/report.aspx?Code=A4165&ID=coauthor&LegSess=89R)\n\n## References\n\n1. [Representative Richard Hayes, Texas House of Representatives biography](https://house.texas.gov/members/4165/biography)\n2. [Texas Capitol, co-author report for Richard Hayes, 89th Regular Session](https://capitol.texas.gov/reports/report.aspx?Code=A4165&ID=coauthor&LegSess=89R)\n\n---\n*Topic: Encyclopedia › Society and history › Politics and government › Government and public administration › Politicians and government officeholders (biographies) › US governors and state officials › State legislators › Southern state legislators › Surnames G to Hi*\n\n*Initially written Sep 27, 2026 · Reviewed: Sep 28, 2026; Sep 29, 2026 · Edited: Sep 28, 2026; Sep 29, 2026 · Last review: Sep 29, 2026*\n\n*Copyright 2026 EdgeChat AI, a subsidiary of Biostate AI.*\n\nLicense: Edgepedia Community License 1.0, https://www.edgepedia.org/edgepedia/license\n", "same_as": [], "url": "https://www.edgepedia.org/richard-hayes-texas-politician", "markdown_url": "https://www.edgepedia.org/richard-hayes-texas-politician.md", "license": { "name": "Edgepedia Community License 1.0", "url": "https://www.edgepedia.org/edgepedia/license", "summary": "Free with credit, commercial use included. AI training is open to everyone. For other uses, organizations over USD 100M in revenue or 100M monthly users license separately.", "spdx": "LicenseRef-Edgepedia-Community-1.0" }, "credit": "\"Richard Hayes (Texas politician)\", Edgepedia (EdgeChat), https://www.edgepedia.org/richard-hayes-texas-politician. Edgepedia Community License 1.0.", "credit_md": "\"[Richard Hayes (Texas politician)](https://www.edgepedia.org/richard-hayes-texas-politician)\", Edgepedia (EdgeChat), [https://www.edgepedia.org/richard-hayes-texas-politician](https://www.edgepedia.org/richard-hayes-texas-politician). [Edgepedia Community License 1.0](https://www.edgepedia.org/edgepedia/license).", "credit_html": "\"Richard Hayes (Texas politician)\", Edgepedia (EdgeChat), https://www.edgepedia.org/richard-hayes-texas-politician. Edgepedia Community License 1.0.", "speakable": "Richard Hayes is an American politician and Republican member of the Texas House of Representatives from District 57 in Denton County, elected in 2022 and a founding partner of a North Texas law firm." }